Whats up everyone,
2001 Dodge Durango R/T

Anyway
Chasing a drone noise in left front area.
Somewhere between left wheel hub bearing, and front diff.

About the drone noise.
Example: Going 20MPH, only with any amount of torque acceleration applied.
So, if I am going 20mph, then let of the accelerator for a second, the noise goes away,,
however, once I apply light pressure to the accelerator, to maintain cruising speed, the drone comes back.

Checked wheel bearing...very small noise,tiny, but not what I am hearing.
There is no 12 to 6 o'clock play.
There is no increase in noise when cornering left or right. So, this pretty
much cancels out the wheel bearing, and the fact that the noise went away
after letting go of gas pedal, and is only there during torque. Unless maybe
forces are being created during torque.

No indication of CV joint damage on half shaft. No clicking when turning.
Both boots sealed, no leak.

Have not pulled front diff cover.

Here is whats funny..
I was a tech for 4 years at a chrysler dealership
here in my town. However, that was years ago,
I have since then moved on to another field.
I still know alot, however, believe it or not, not
doing this for awhile, I am super rusty.

I don't even remember the proper way to test drive line noise
when servicing a vehicle with Limited Slip diff.
Some problems can only be checked with torque, and friction.

I did raise it, while in its normal AWD mode,,of course Limited slip kicked in,
front left tire spinning also, where the noise is.
However, engine is so loud, and I can't find my stethoscope(about to go get one).
ABS and Brake lights stayed on, but that clears after a certain number of "good trips".

Anyway, if anyone has any thoughts,


THE NEXT PART IS ME RAMBLING>>>>
Now for the part that pisses me off.
My wife noticed the noise...
She was turning right, and all of a sudden started hearing
grinding in the front end.

I got in it,and there was no noise,just the drone under acceleration,
and a creaking noise which sounded to be coming from the transfer case.
The transfer case area noise, went away after a couple of forward reverse moves, a couple of feet.
Attempted to check transfer case fluid, however, my low quality allen wrench
could not break it loose,,lol..and I was in a hurry anyway..

I am very busy, and had stuff to do, so I figured I would take it to
a place that deals with cars, trucks, and huge trucks,
to diagnose problem only so that I would be able to just fix it myself.
So I had no time to diagnose...and thought it would be quicker this way.

Pick it up, and they tell me what they think it is.
Left front wheel bearing, and also rear diff noise.

Ok, so then he tells me the prices for fixing it..
$575 for the wheel bearing..
I can change the hub bearing in less than 45 minutes...pull wheel, Brake caliper, Mess with wheel speed sensor,pull cotter pin, half shaft nut(impact gun)
3 bolts holding hub bearing to knuckle(5 min max), air hammer or chisel, or use your imagination, big or small hammer,
to remove the hub...no more than 20 min if its really stuck on there.
Clean it all up, inspect brakes while its off, better inspection of half shaft..
Put it back together,,easy as pie..
Where do you get $575 for that?
Even at $200 an hour, plus diagnostic price, that is 2.5hours...WTF>!!
HIGHWAY ROBBERY..

over $1000 to check out the rear end..pull the cover, and that isn't even
getting it fixed, which he said the price would climb from there.
WHAT THE FREAKING F>>>

So, I say,,,how much do I owe you for the diagnosis, I am going to
discuss it with my wife(yeah right)...
$75 for the diagnosis.
So I pay, then leave.

Something isn't right, so I am like screw this, diagnose it myself.
But here is where it gets jacked up..

The service paper reads..
"Inspected trans fluid, trans fluid correct level"
I get home, throw on the "about to diagnose some stuff" attire.
Go out, first thing..CHECK TRANS FLUID OF COURSE>...

Fluid is low,,not even on the dipstick.
Im like WTF...!!??
Hell naw!!!. I bet the Tech at the place did not put it in neutral, when checking trans fluid.
So I go get 3 quarts ATF-4, its 2 quarts low.
I don't even have a leak, so, now I am wondering if the dealership even checked it when
my wife to it to get the oil changed, which was less than a month ago.

Strike Freaking ONE..

Ok, so now I am really wondering what the hell they did at the shop.
I jack up the R/T, first place I go is the Transfer case, to see if the
check/fill plug had been removed.
HELL NO,,,still has the small ring of rust around it, no amount of indication(maybe
a small trace of fluid from the techs finger,) that it was checked. And it was still on
super tight. It was never checked, trust me.
WHY WOULD YOU NOT CHECK TRANSFER CASE FLUID, when diagnosing drive line noise?????

STRIKE FREAKING TWO...

I turn the rear wheel, and hear the small grinding noise, but its in the drum, so I am thinking
maybe a broken piece of brake shoe..or something.
Pull rear drum, and there are white rock marks all around the rim of the backing plate..
and there sits a little, almost completely shredded, rock.
Removed the rock, inspected,,my fault,...because last time I
removed the plug for viewing the brake shoe, I did not put it back in.
So the rock either got in through there, or some other way..

STRIKE FREAKING THREE...

So, I call, and calmly talk to the service manager.
I called with a "concerned and wondering if your tech knows the proper way to check the trans
level on a durango with either the 5.2 or 5.9L engine"
He says, that he remembers that the tech put it in neutral, because the
tech asked him to do it??
Hmmm, yet my trans fluid is 2 quarts low,

Why would I make this up?That is
$10 for fluid I just went and dropped, and put in the transmission.

Then I also mentioned that the transfer case fluid was never checked,
and isn't that something that should be checked when diagnosing drive line noise.
THAT IS THE FIRST THING I WOULD CHECK.
All fluids...that have to deal with driveline, and even power steering, just incase
a moan is becoming evident, and being transferred through metal, like
vibrations normally are.

I pretty much said, "Ok, have a nice day".
Going to be contacting the manager of the place, maybe the owner.
I paid $75 for who knows what.
So they could spit out a couple of things wrong with the vehicle,
get to fixing those, then say,"Oh, by the way, we all need to do this".

We had a name for those kinds of places.."Parts Replacers"
The only way they know how to diagnose, is to replace parts in the area
of interest, and pass the cost onto the customer.

Anyway, COOL STORY BRO!...right...

 

Sorry! My ADD kicked in. I caught the hub bearing and something about fluid.

IndyD